Udaipur

Introducing Udaipur
If the colours pink and blue are common to the landscapes of Jaipur and Jodhpur, Udaipur may very well be regarded as a vision in white for its shining palaces and buildings in white marble. Udaipur is located in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan. Mount Abu is to the west of Udaipur while the town of Chittaurgarh is to its north.

The shining marble palaces, well laid out gardens, beautifully sculpted temples and clear blue water lakes have earned Udaipur many names. Popularly known as the lake city of India, many prefer to call Udaipur a romantic city also. Udaipur is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain ranges on a few sides. In the midst of an arid desert, Udaipur can also be called a mirage whose sweltering weather has never been able to daunt the spirits of tourists.

The beautiful city was established by Maharana Udai Singh after an astrologer advised the warrior to shift his capital to the banks of Lake Pichola. Udaipur has been named after Udai Singh.
Climate
Udaipur has a typical desert climate. Summers are very hot and the mercury has even touched 47 degrees in the past. Dust storms may also occur occasionally. Rainfall in the place is also scarce. During winters, however, the weather becomes very cool and pleasant.

Best Time to Visit
October-March

How to Reach
Air : Dabok Airport is located on the outskirts of Udaipur at a distance of 24 kms. There are regular flights from New Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Mumbai.

Rail : Udaipur figures prominently in the rail map of India. There are express train services from many destinations including Delhi. India's luxury trains-The Palace on Wheels and Royal Orient Express also cover Udaipur.

Road : There are regular bus services to Udaipur from various destinations of northern India including Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Jaipur ,Chittaurgarh, Indore and Kota.

Where to Stay
Udaipur has a wide range of accommodation facilities to suit the needs of all class groups. Best hotels in luxury category include Lake Palace and Vishnupriya while good hotels in mid range category are Anand Bhawan, Ashish Palace and Damanis.

Attractions in Udaipur
The City Palace : The fine combination of marble and granite used in the construction of City Palace makes it one of the most attractive palaces of Rajasthan and a jewel in Udaipur's crown. It may also be mentioned that it is also the largest palace of Rajasthan. The palace overlooking lake Pichola is well known for exceptional crafting of the interiors. The mammoth palace complex houses three mahals - Baari, Dilkush and Moti. Apart from the mahals, there is also a temple dedicated to Dhuni Mata and a museum displaying the collections of Rana Pratap. The floor mosaics giving shape to peacock images are most impressive.

The Lake Palace : From a distance, the view of the Lake Palace is mesmerizing. Built entirely with marble, the architecture of the palace is such that it gives the impression of the palace floating on the lake Pichola. Now converted into a luxury hotel, this magnificent palace can only be reached by boat.

Jagdeesh Temple : Located close to the City Palace, Jagdeesh Temple has some fine sculpted images and ornamented interiors. Near the temple complex is Sahelion-ki-Bari or the Garden of Maidens. The garden has four pools and meticulously carved kiosks in marble.

Maharana Pratap Smarak : The Smarak has been built to pay tribute to the great Rajput hero Maharana Pratap who fought many legendary battles with the Mughals. There is a bronze statue of Maharana Pratap riding his favourite horse 'Chetak' on an elevated platform. On both sides of the path to the top are many beautifully maintained gardens including a Japanese rock garden.

Excursion Places near Udaipur
Nagda : The ruined remnants of ancient city of Mewar dating back to the 6th century A.D could be seen in Nagda. The place is located at a distance of 20 kms northeast of Udaipur. Although most of the buildings of Nagda are in ruins, a 10 th century Vaishnavite temple known as Saas-Bahu still survives. The famous temple complex of Eklingji are also visited in large numbers.Built way back in the year 734 A.D, the temple complex of Eklingji has 108 small temples inside. Eklingji is an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

Nathdwara : Nathdwara is located at a distance of 48 kms from Udaipur. Literally, Nathdwara means 'Gateway to God'. The place is an important pilgrimage centre of Hindus. Nathdwara is home to one of the most revered 17th century temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is predicted that this temple is the second richest temple of India after the Tirupati temple. The festivals of Diwali, Holi and Janmashtami are celebrated in a grand manner in the temple. The place is also famous for the radiant Pichwal paintings of Rajasthan.

Ranakpur : Ranakpur, at a distance of 90 kms from Udaipur is considered one of the five holiest places of Jainism. The Jain temples of Ranakpur are famous for their intricate marble works. The main shrine known as Chaumukha temple (four faced temple) is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar while the other temples are dedicated to Parshvanath and Neminath. An attractive Hindu temple dedicated to Sun God also adorns the landscape of the place.

Shopping in Udaipur
Udaipur is one of the best places in Rajasthan to pick up exquisite crafts and looms made by the gifted artisans of the place. The best buys of Udaipur include folk toys, colourful tie-dye sarees and clothes, hand painted fabrics, silver jewellery, wall hangings and miniature paintings.

The main markets of Udaipur are located on the Lake Palace road and around Jagdish temple. Two of the best places for shopping in Udaipur are Rajasthali-the govt. fixed price emporium and Sadhana-a fixed price shop run by an NGO for charitable purposes.

Palace On Wheels (08 Days) Features : A luxury train tour takes you along the major cities of Rajasthan. The travel will be restricted to the late night hours to give you enough time to explore the destinations. Towards the end of the tour you will reach Udaipur. Umaid Bhawan, royal cenotaphs and the fort are some of the attractions you will find yourself at. Tour plan will be Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Agrai.

	Romantic Maharaja Tour (20 Days) Features : This tour gives you the best romantic places in India. There will be two days stay at the romantic hotspot Udaipur. Make a good of your time at Rang Niwas Palace Hotel. The tour plan will be Agra, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Pushkar, Udaipur, Narlai, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Gajner, Bikaner, Shekhavati.

Heritage Tour To India (20Days) Features : This tour arranges for the visit to the famous tourist destination of Rajasthan - Udaipur. You will get to explore the popular City Palace at Udaipur, and more. The stay at Udaipur will be for one day and the tour will proceed from here to further destinations. Places to be visited include Delhi, Mandawa, Bikaner, Pokharan, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Mount Abu, Ranakpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Pushkar, Ajmer, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Sawai Madhopur, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, Gwalior, Orcha, Khajuraho, Varanasi.

Grand North India Tour (15 Days) Features : This tour gives you two days stay at Udaipur city. The tour begins from Delhi and traverses the regions of Agra, Rajasthan and finally concludes at Mumbai. You will get ample opportunities to reach the popular attractions at Udaipur, including City Palace, Lake Palace and more. The tour plan will be Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Pushkar, Jodhpur, Osian, Udaipur, Mumbai.

Best Places of India (31 Days) Features : This one months package takes you to a number of tourist places in several Indian states. The tour features the most sought after destinations by the tourists. The tour starts from Delhi city and concludes at Mumbai. Udaipur is one of the major cities covered in the tour. You will be visiting the attractions here including the City Palace, Jagdish Temple, Sahelion Ki Bari and more.